


All worries float away

by leviX



Category: GOT7
Genre: 2Jae, Blowjobs, M/M, Minor Kunpimook Bhuwakul | BamBam/Kim Yugyeom, Not very smutty, Soft Im Jaebum | JB, Wholesome, fluff with a little smut basically, i suck at titles i'm sorry, jackson/everyone in the last chapter, lifeguard Jaebum, mostly kissing, this isn't very good but more 2jae is needed so i had to take matters into my own hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 13:34:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15244518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leviX/pseuds/leviX
Summary: Youngjae is a regular at his local swimming pool. JB is the new lifeguard. Jinyoung is the best friend a shy boy can have, and the two friendgroups melt into one like they were always meant to be seven.





	1. Chapter 1

Youngjae loves to swim. He has been going to his local swimming pool for three years, 3 times a week, sometimes more. He goes late at night, when most of the kids has gone home and the majority of the visitors enjoys a leisurely swim rather than a playful bathtime. 

He’ll swim for an hour, back and forth, alternating styles and paces. Stepping out of the water, showering off with cold water and entering the sauna was the perfect end of a day, and always guaranteed a good night’s sleep afterwards. 

He doesn’t particularly do it to stay in shape, even though he knows his body has gotten a little leaner since he started doing this regularly. More so, he enjoys swimming because he loves the feeling of being in the water. Water makes him feel peaceful, as if the outside world and the boundaries it held on him and his body just melted away the moment he dives in. 

Grades didn’t matter in the water. Gravity didn’t matter in the water. Even his sometimes crippling loneliness didn’t matter as much. The water seemed to soak all of Youngjae’s worries up the more time he spent in it, dissolving slowly into the entire pool until it wasn’t detectable anymore. 

Youngjae knows, logically, that he isn’t actually lonely. He has friends, and family, that cares for him deeply and would be there for him if he ever asked them to. But Youngjae doesn’t like to ask. He shows up whenever his friends asks him to be somewhere, and he keeps in contact with his mom and sister regularly. 

But at the end of the day, he still comes home to an empty apartment. All of his friends are taking different courses, and occasionally he arrives home from a full day at uni realising that he hasn’t spoken a single word all day. Those days he’ll cook a meal, in silence, and head over to the swimming pool as soon as he can, no matter how late it was. In the water, words doesn’t matter. In the water, the cries inside his head silences. 

 

Today is one of those days. Youngjae ends up swimming for longer than normal, and when he finally steps out of the pool and sit down on a bench to dry off, he sighs of relief. 

“Feeling better?” 

Youngjae startles, unaware that somebody is even nearby, his view obscured by the towel on his head. He looks up to find the new lifeguard standing by the end of the bench. He’s looking at Youngjae with his arms crossed and a soft, entertained smile on his face.  
Youngjae had noticed him around, as he’d started the new job about two weeks ago when Minho had quit. 

Youngjae has always been more or less acquainted with most of the staff, and had been sad to hear that Minho was quitting. He had noticed the new lifeguard the first time he’d been on duty, and maybe Youngjae has glanced in his direction a couple of times, but he wasn’t the one to initiate any hellos. 

“Uh. Yeah”, he answers. He pulls his towel down from his hair and takes a deep breath, looks back at the pool. He smiles slightly. “Yeah.”

The lifeguard chuckles briefly and looks back towards the pool as well.

“I noticed you looked a little stiff when you first got here. You look better now though”, he says, and Youngjae feels a faint blush form across his cheeks. He hadn’t been aware that he’d been observed. He normally assumes he blends in with the crowd as anybody else, unnoticed and uncared for. He runs his hand through his wet hair, unsure of what to reply.

“I’m JB, by the way. I’m the new lifeguard, but you’re probably aware.”

Youngjae laughs softly and looks up at JB as he points a thumb to the back of his shirt, the word LIFEGUARD printed in large, white letters. 

“Nice to meet you, lifeguard JB”, Youngjae grins. He wraps his towel around his shoulders and stands up, awkwardly lingering at the spot. He wants to go shower, he was getting sleepy, but it feels rude to just walk off mid conversation. 

“You’re Youngjae, right?” JB asks, suddenly frowning slightly as if he was unsure. Youngjae gapes a little, surprised that JB already knows his name, and then stutters out a response.

“What? Oh, yeah, yes, Youngjae, that’s me”, and then he laughs loudly at his own tardiness.  
“Sorry. I’m really tired. It’s been a long day. Yeah. I’m Youngjae. How did you know?”

JB just smiles at him, his gaze affectionate and his cheeks round. 

“I asked around. Not a lot of regulars here as consistently as you are”, he replies, and Youngjae drops his gaze, smiling softly. The fact that he exists in the life and words of a complete stranger makes him feel slightly less insignificant. 

“Go shower, Youngjae. I hope you have a better day tomorrow”, JB says and Youngjae nods.

He gives JB one last smile before bowing slightly in goodbye, and shuffles off towards the showers. He feels conscious of turning his naked back to the other man, and hurries as fast as he knows he can without being told off. 

The moment he turns around the corner to enter the shower room, he glances back and looks for JB again. He’s walked around to the other corner of the pool, apparently exchanging words with the old lady in the third lane. Youngjae sighs. JB was probably just talkative like that. 

 

Youngjae isn’t able to go swimming until three days after that, and his skin is itching to be back in the water by the time he is all changed and showered. He stands by the edge of the pool for a minute, allowing his worries to shake off his shoulders and relish in the anticipation of the water for just a few seconds more. 

“I thought I’d scared you off”, he suddenly hears and he looks up to find JB next to him yet again. He looks somewhat nervous, but Youngjae smiles widely at him and JB’s expression eases up. 

“No, I just didn’t have time. No way you’d scare me away from this”, Youngjae replies and JB raises his eyebrows, a daring look in his gaze.

“Are you saying I’m not scary?”

Youngjae glances at JB, at his toothy smile, his loose, bright red lifeguard shirt that hints at some good chest muscles, white shorts, his muscular but lean legs, and his toes peeking through his sandals. His crossed arms shows off the muscles in his arms, and Youngjae can see how maybe in another scenario JB might look a little intimidating. He has a medium long, black haircut and now that he looks, Youngjae can see several holes in JB’s ears, but the look is severely thrown off by the somewhat unattractive style of his lifeguard uniform. It was very standard, and not yet personalized like many of the more senior lifeguards tended to do.

Youngjae’s gaze meets JB’s again, and he blushes heavily when he realises he’d just thoroughly examined the entirety of JB right in front of him. JB’s gaze is steady, and his smile gone. Youngjae chuckles nervously and breaks eye contact.

“Eh, now you are. A little”, he mumbles, and can see JB break out in a smile again, his head dropping and then rising again. 

“Enjoy your swim, Youngjae-ah”, he says, steps forward to tap his hand onto Youngjae’s shoulder before walking away. 

Youngjae stares after him, his hand shooting up to the spot where JB had touched him briefly, before he shakes his head and turns his attention back to the water. He inhales deeply and dives in. 

 

Their interactions continues in a similar manner for the following two weeks. JB seems to work most evening shifts, and he always acknowledges Youngjae’s presence as he arrives, sometimes simply waving hellos from the other side of the pool, or exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes if closer by, but always returns to his duties and letting Youngjae swim before too long. 

Maybe Youngjae looks at JB’s back for two more seconds as he’s walking away, and maybe sometimes he observes JB when he was taking a breather at the end of the lane, hanging onto the handlebars of the starting block. Maybe sometimes JB looks back at him and smiles, and Youngjae would grin out of embarrassment and look away. 

 

The next time he goes for a swim, Jinyoung comes with him. Youngjae’s friends don’t usually come with him, but Jinyoung had been over for dinner with Youngjae and decided to join rather than go home when he realised Youngjae had planned to go swim. Youngjae had excitedly borrowed him a pair of swimming trunks and they’d set off. 

 

“Hey”, JB greets him as Youngjae sits down by the side of the pool, waiting for Jinyoung to come out of the changing rooms. Youngjae smiles up at the lifeguard and fiddles with the towel in his lap, suddenly conscious of his bare upper body before he’s gone in the water. 

“Hey”, he replies. JB’s eyes are smiling kindly at him, maybe holding their gaze for a bit longer than normal. He opens his mouth to speak.

“Youngjae! Sorry for taking so long”, Jinyoung suddenly speaks, appearing from the other side. Youngjae turns around to look at his hyung and shakes his head.

“That’s ok”, he replies. Jinyoung came to a stop in front of him, suddenly realising that JB is looking at them.

“Oh, were you guys talking? Sorry”, Jinyoung continues, bowing slightly towards JB. JB bowes back, gazing openly at the two of them.

“Uh, this is Jinyoung”, Youngjae introduces, waving a hand at Jinyoung. JB nods and smiles politely.

“Nice to meet you, I’m JB”, he replies and Jinyoung looks back at Youngjae, grinning.

“Is this why you go swim so often? You come to flirt with the hot lifeguards?”

Youngjae stands up to swat a light hit to Jinyoung’s arm, blushing profusely. 

“Hyung, shut up”, he mumbles as Jinyoung laughs. Youngjae hides behind Jinyoung, glancing at JB who’s eyebrows had raised entertainingly. Jinyoung forces the towel out of Youngjae’s arms and throws it down on the bench with his own. Youngjae cringes as Jinyoung gives him a wicked smile, grimacing in defeat towards JB. JB glances between them and chuckles. 

“Shall we?” Jinyoung asks, and Youngjae nods, aggressively pushing his friend towards the end of the pool. Jinyoung laughs and pushes back, and Youngjae darts around him and speeds up, trying to run away from the awkwardness.

“No running!” JB calls after them, but his tone is kind. 

Youngjae doesn’t see JB observing them reaching the pool and pretending to push each other in, Jinyoung in the end allowing Youngjae to dive in and then diving in himself slightly less gracefully. They swim together for a while, bickering and laughing, until Jinyoung swaps to the neighbouring lane, letting Youngjae swim in peace. 

 

Youngjae swims until he feels all tension leave his body, until all he is aware of is the water around him and the way it kindly moves around him to let him through. When he finally stops and holds onto the starting block to regain his breath, he looks around to find the pool completely empty. Jinyoung is sitting on the benches at the other end of the pool, chatting casually with JB. They wave at him when they notice him looking. 

At any other time of day, the sight would probably have made Youngjae nervous, but at this moment he’s too tired and too content to really care. He smiles, and kicks off to swim back to them. 

“You finally done?” Jinyoung asks as Youngjae exits the pool and approach them, reaching out to hand Youngjae his towel. Youngjae smiles tiredly as he accepts it, sitting down on the bench and spreading out slightly. 

“Yeah”, he replies, meeting JB’s gaze and then Jinyoung’s. “Sorry for making you wait.”

“That’s alright. JB kept me company”, Jinyoung grins and Youngjae glances between the two of them, still catching his breath a little.

“Jinyoung told me you guys are music majors”, JB says.

“He is too”, Jinyoung adds, and Youngjae gapes in surprise.

“Really?” 

“I’m doing music production and engineering”, JB says, nodding.

“But he writes songs too”, Jinyoung continues, and Youngjae stares up at JB in awe, abruptly closing his mouth when he realises he’s still gaping slightly. JB grins back at him, and then glances around.

“You guys should hit the showers if you wanna have time for the sauna as well. We close in 20 minutes”, he says, and Youngjae realises it wasn’t just the pool that was empty, the whole hall was. He must’ve swam for longer than he thought. 

Jinyoung stands up and reaches out his hand to JB in that cool, friendly manner he usually reserves for their close friend group. JB grasps his hand and they knock shoulders briefly. Youngjae frowns at them, a small confusing sting of jealousy in the back of his mind and bows politely towards JB as they seperate. JB smiles widely at him.

“See you around”, Jinyoung says and JB nods as they head off towards the showers. 

 

“You guys seemed friendly”, Youngjae speaks as they sit down in the sauna. Jinyoung grins and bumps his shoulder.

“Jealous?” he asks, and Youngjae gapes at him, hitting his chest hard.

“No!”, he insists, but the playful look in Jinyoung’s gaze doesn’t disappear. 

“Did I really swim for that long? You could’ve stopped me”, Youngjae frowns, and Jinyoung finally smiles more kindly at him, putting an arm around Youngjae’s shoulder.

“That’s okay. I know how much you love to swim. And JB seems really cool”, Jinyoung assures, and Youngjae nods in agreement. 

 

It’s dark out when they finally exit the building ten minutes later. Youngjae’s feeling soft and sleepy, even though their stay in the sauna had been brief. The cold air of the outdoors comes as a slight surprise, and he hooks arms with Jinyoung, suddenly exhausted at the thought of having to walk all the way back to his apartment.

“JB!” Jinyoung suddenly calls while they’re still only maybe 20 meters in front of the exit, and Youngjae’s head whips up from Jinyoung’s shoulder. JB’s sitting on top of the metal bars by the parking lot, his gaze staring surprised at the two of them. 

“Oh. Hi again”, he replies, smiling politely and taking out an earbud from underneath his hood. 

Youngjae doesn’t notice JB’s gaze on him, busy processing the look of casual JB, out of his lifeguard uniform. He isn’t wearing anything remarkable, just a pair of blue sweatpants, an oversized black hoodie and sneakers, but he somehow manages to look really cool and fashionable and too soft at the same time. Youngjae suddenly imagines what it’d feel like to cuddle up against him and fall asleep, and he hides his face abruptly behind Jinyoung’s shoulder when he realises where his thoughts are going. 

“I’m just waiting for my friend to come pick me up”, JB says, seemingly answering a question from Jinyoung that Youngjae hadn’t paid attention to. 

Youngjae continues to hide his face for the duration of their conversation, feeling the exhaustion and sleepiness tug at his limbs as Jinyoung and JB exchanges numbers.

“Cool. Well, I better get Youngjae home before he falls asleep on his feet”, Jinyoung says at last, and Youngjae nods in agreement. He meets JB’s gaze briefly and smiles as he sees the other laugh softly at him, and Jinyoung finally turns around to lead Youngjae home.


	2. Chapter 2

“Youngjae has a crush on a hot lifeguard”, Jinyoung announces two days later. 

 

It’s a Saturday afternoon, and their small friend group has gathered at BamBam and Yugyeom’s apartment, getting ready for a night out. 

“What!?” BamBam exclaims, whipping around in his seat in front of the mirror and staring at Jinyoung. 

“Hyung, it’s not a crush!” Youngjae whines from his spot on the sofa, attempting to stand up but forced back down by Yugyeom’s hands, and then laughs loudly in combined frustration and embarrassment, hoping to cover up Jinyoung’s words. 

“He’s a music major too, in production, but a fourth year”, Jinyoung continues, ignoring Youngjae’s yelps from underneath Yugyeom. 

“Whoa, really? Do we know him? What’s his name?” BamBam asks, rising up from his seat when Jinyoung pulls out his phone.

“His name is Jaebum, but apparently he goes by JB mostly”, Jinyoung continues, and Youngjae stills and peakes up from under Yugyeom’s grip.

“I didn’t know that”, he frowns.

“I got his number, should I invite him out tonight?” Jinyoung grins, ignoring Youngjae. BamBam and Yugyeom yells out in support of his suggestion, overpowering Youngjae’s embarrassed attempts to stop them.

 

“Oh, I got a reply”, Jinyoung announces some time later when they have all settled again, BamBam back in front of the mirror and Youngjae sulking in his corner of the sofa. As embarrassed as he was, the thought of seeing JB outside of the swimming hall is intriguing. He just wishes it didn’t have to come with the extensive teasing from his friends, but he still straightens up to pay attention to Jinyoung’s next words.

“He says he’s already going to the same place, with his own friends, and that we can meet them there”, Jinyoung reads. BamBam and Yugyeom whoop loudly and Jinyoung smiles evilly when Youngjae meets his eye. He can’t help the blush that creeps up on his cheeks.

 

They don’t arrive at the club until several hours later. It’s the most popular place for students of their university, so it isn’t actually surprising that JB would go there too. At this point, Youngjae is more surprised that he hasn’t ever seen JB around campus or the club, even though they are in different courses and years. He’s a little bit tipsy by the time they are allowed inside, and he keeps his eyes open to see if he can see JB around. Jinyoung notices and laughs at him.

“Relax, Youngjae-ah”, he yells in Youngjae’s ear. “He’s not here yet, he’s gonna text me when he is. Let’s get some drinks.”

Youngjae isn’t sure how much time passes or exactly how many drinks he’s had, but he’s feeling the buzz properly and dancing excitedly on the dance floor with BamBam and Yugyeom some time later. Jinyoung had disappeared to go to the bathroom, and Youngjae has forgotten about JB for a moment. 

 

“Youngjae-ah!” he suddenly hears Jinyoung call, and a drink is shoved into his face by his returning friend. Youngjae grins widely and accepts the drink, taking a sip instantly. He’s drunk enough to not even be bothered by the strong taste anymore, and he looks back at his friend in surprise when Jinyoung taps at his shoulder again instead of dancing. 

“I found JB”, Jinyoung then yells in his ear, and Youngjae whips around. Behind Jinyoung is indeed JB, smiling widely at Youngjae and Youngjae feels himself smiling back, uncontrollably. 

“JB!” he yells, and he flings his arms out to hug the other, only somewhat careful not to accidently fling his drink into someone’s face. JB returns his embrace, his arms warm around Youngjae’s waist and Youngjae presses his face against JB’s neck firmly, before he nearly spills a bit of his drink and steps back.

“These are my friends, Mark and Jackson”, JB leans in to yell into Youngjae’s ear, and Youngjae smiles at JB, taking a second too long to even look at the people JB is introducing. He waves at the two of them when he meets their eye, gaping a little at their attractiveness. 

They all take turns to introduce themselves and each other, spending a couple of minutes leaning close and having to repeat themselves before everyone seems happy and they resume dancing. 

Their increased number and the crowded dance floor forces them to dance in a weird 8-shape, and maybe JB stays insistently next to Youngjae, but Youngjae pretends he doesn’t notice and laughs and dances and drinks. At some point he finishes his drink and the plastic glass disappear from his hand, and at some point Jackson, Yugyeom and BamBam reappear with enough drinks for everyone. Youngjae is warm, but JB is warmer next to him, and Youngjae doesn’t want to part. 

Youngjae knows he is dancing silly, but JB is always smiling widely at him when he meets his gaze and they’re having fun. At one point Jackson appears in front of Youngjae and dances with him equally as silly, showing off and being ridiculous and for a brief moment attempting to lift Youngjae up until he is stopped by both Jinyoung and JB’s hands. Youngjae laughs until his sides hurt and eventually collapses slightly on JB’s shoulder. 

He can feel JB’s hand on his waist and he shudders involuntarily when JB leans in and asks if he wants to step outside, his breath brushing against Youngjae’s ear. Youngjae nods, JB tells Jinyoung who gives them a thumbs up, and JB leads Youngjae by the hand out of the crowd and through half the club until they reach the smoking area. 

 

The cold night air is a relief against Youngjae’s face, and he closes his eyes when JB finds them a free corner. 

“Better?” JB asks, and Youngjae open his eyes to find JB smiling at him. He nods heavily and leans against the wooden fence behind him. JB is standing close, and Youngjae’s cheeks are warming up from different reasons than inside.

“So, uh. Do you come here often?” Youngjae says at last, laughing at his own words, aware of how cliché they are. JB grins and crosses his arms.

“Honestly, not really. But I wanted to tonight”, he replies, and Youngjae nods, glancing around.

“How’s so?” he asks, pretending like he’s not nervous of the answer. 

“I recently learnt a cute boy I know goes to the same uni as me. So I thought maybe he’d be here too”, JB eventually answers, looking away. Youngjae laughs.

“Yah! What are you laughing for!” JB exclaims and Youngjae laughs louder as the elder aims a few playful jabs at his waist. He squirms and tries to get away, but JB moves closer and pins him against the fence, not allowing Youngjae to escape from his pinches. Youngjae yelps and laughs and punch at JB’s chest, but to no prevail.

“Stop it”, JB suddenly says, his voice low and stern, and Youngjae stills. His hands are gripping JB’s shirt, and JB’s hands are on Youngjae’s waist. Youngjae gulps at how close JB’s face suddenly is.

Youngjae knows he is staring, but JB’s eyes are dark and his mouth is smiling fondly, and he’s leaning closer.

“You’re very cute, Youngjae-ah”, JB says. Youngjae’s cheeks are on fire, and he stands so still he thinks he might combust any second. Their surroundings are spinning and out of focus, but JB’s face is firm and clear right in front of him and he’s leaning in so close he can feel JB’s soft breaths against his mouth. He grips at JB’s shirt harder, tilts his face up a little, and JB’s nose brushes against his briefly before his lips finally presses against his own. 

Youngjae’s insides are exploding. His heart seems to be standing still and beating furiously at the same time, and his toes curl slightly inside his shoes. JB pulls back too soon, and Youngjae breathes in deep, forcing himself to settle down a little. When he opens his eyes, JB is still right in front of him, just inches away, looking at Youngjae as if he’s trying to figure him out, and Youngjae can’t help himself. 

He pulls at JB’s shirt and kisses him again, harder. He nibbles at JB’s lower lip, and when JB opens his mouth in a gasp he kisses deeper, raising a hand to JB’s neck, pulling him closer until Youngjae is pressed against the fence and JB is licking into his mouth. 

JB eventually pulls back again, but this time he’s breathing shallowly and his lips are swollen and gleaming. He leans his forehead against Youngjae’s for a few seconds, then gives Youngjae a small, chaste kiss before stepping back. He smiles at Youngjae, and Youngjae bites his lip to hold back his own overflowing emotions and impulses. 

“Should we go back inside?” JB asks, and Youngjae nods. JB holds his hand out, and Youngjae smiles at the ground before he takes it, his cheeks heating up again. JB’s hold is firm, and he leads them inside through the crowd. They try to spot their friends on the dance floor, until Jinyoung suddenly appears from the side and grips onto Youngjae’s shoulder.

“Yugyeom’s been sick, we’re gonna head back”, he yells into Youngjae’s ear, and Youngjae’s stares in surprise at his friend. He hadn’t been aware that Yugyeom had had that much to drink, but the youngest was sometimes reckless like that. Jinyoung glances between Youngjae and JB and their united hands.

“Do you want to stay?” Jinyoung asks, but Youngjae shakes his head. It wouldn’t be right. Jinyoung leans over to inform JB of the situation and JB nods in understanding. Jinyoung takes Youngjae’s other hand, and JB let’s go. Youngjae tilts his head, but JB smiles and waves him off. 

“It’s okay, go take care of your friend”, he yells, and Youngjae nods. He waves goodbye and allows Jinyoung to lead him away. 

BamBam is waiting outside with a kneeling Yugyeom, and they take him home.


	3. Chapter 3

“So, what happened with JB?” Jinyoung asks the next morning when he’s making toast in BamBam and Yugyeom’s kitchen. Youngjae is leaning against the counter, nibbling on his own piece of toast, his face flashing red instantly. Jinyoung laughs.

“Did something happen with JB?” BamBam calls from the other room, obviously eavesdropping. 

“Mind your own business!” Youngjae calls back, but he hears shuffling and soon BamBam emerges from the other room and leans against the kitchen doorway, staring excitedly. 

“Uuh…” Youngjae starts and laughs nervously, but then Yugyeom interrupts.

“WAIT, I wanna hear too”, he insists as he emerges too, enveloped in a blanket and looking pretty rough. He leans against BamBam’s back and places his chin on his friend’s shoulder. 

“Now you can tell us”, he says. Youngjae stays silent, but Jinyoung knocks him on the shoulder and his drops his chin in defeat, but he can’t help but smile at the memory.

“We kissed”, he says, earning catcalls and excited yells from his friends. 

They demand details, but Youngjae refuses to indulge them, too embarrassed to continue the conversation. BamBam and Yugyeom eventually give up and return to the other room with their own pieces of toast. Jinyoung grins at Youngjae and starts tidying up the counter. 

“So, is it okay if I give him your number?” he asks, and Youngjae blinks up at him in surprise.

“He texted me this morning asking for it, but I thought I’d check if it was okay first just in case”, he continues, and then winks. “But seeing what happened, I’m assuming yes?”  
Youngjae blushes, laughs, nods, and then escapes to the other room. 

 

Youngjae is nervous when he heads to the swimming hall later that evening. He hasn’t heard from JB yet, despite Jinyoung giving him his number, and he’s not sure what to do when they meet, but he wants to see JB, so he goes anyway. 

He arrives at the pool and looks around, but JB isn’t there. Youngjae spots one of the other lifeguards, and he slumps a little in disappointment. He knows, logically, that JB probably just isn’t working tonight, but a part of him wonders if it’s because of him. It takes longer than normal for him to finally relax in the water, and even then he doesn’t feel as fully content when he gets up as he usually does. 

He lies for long in the sauna, until he’s sweating heavily and the air burns in his mouth. When he leaves, his brain is foggy of tiredness and he collapses onto his bed when he’s finally home. He’s almost asleep when his phone pings, and he almost ignores it. It pings again, and he groans and reaches for it. 

 

Unknown number sent: _Did you go for a swim?_

_Ah, it’s JB. I asked Jinyoung for you number. Hope that was okay._

 

Youngjae grins, and squeals into his pillow before typing a reply. 

Youngjae sent: _Yeah. I just came back C:_

 

JB sent: _Is your friend okay?_

 

Youngjae sent: _Yeah. He was just drunk. He’s fine now.  
He tries to keep up with his hyungs too much sometimes u_u_

 

JB sent: _I think it was mostly Jackson’s fault  
Sorry about that_

 

Youngjae sent: _Don’t be sorry! Your friends were really cool_

 

JB sent: _Cooler than me?_

 

Youngjae sent: _Heh. Nobody is cooler than you hyung~_

 

JB sent: _When are you going to swim next?_

 

Youngjae sent: _On Tuesday, I think. I have song practice tomorrow night._

 

JB sent: _See you on Tuesday then._

 

Youngjae sent: _Ok ^_^_

 

Youngjae rereads JB’s texts several times. The tone of them seem somewhat cold, but Youngjae knows better than to assume. Jinyoung messages like an old man as well, all serious and proper, and Youngjae has learnt that that’s just how he does it. 

 

Youngjae doesn’t hear from JB over the next two days at all. He’s sometimes tempted to text the other himself, but he’s too nervous and not sure what to say anyway, so he holds back. 

On Tuesday evening he heads to the swimming hall a bit later than usual. He doesn’t exactly know what to anticipate, but he imagines maybe seeing JB outside afterwards like he and Jinyoung had last time, but maybe this time without being on the verge of falling asleep. So when he finally shows up, it’s only an hour until the place closes, and JB seems to smile in relief when he sees Youngjae. 

During the few seconds it takes JB to walk up to him, Youngjae’s face manages to bloom out in a heavy blush, and the urge to run away fight with his excitement to see JB. The latter wins, because running away would be more embarrassing after all. 

“I almost thought you wouldn’t show up”, JB greets, and Youngjae laughs softly.

“Sorry. I, uh. Got delayed”, he replies awkwardly, but JB smiles widely at him anyway. Youngjae thinks he might just die from how beautiful he is. JB seems to hesitate a little.

“Let’s talk after you’re done? I would’ve wanna impose on precious swimming time”, he then says, and Youngjae nods, perhaps a little too eagerly but JB just smiles and then nods too. Youngjae puts away his towel on the nearby bench, meets JB’s gaze again as he starts walking off, and they both laugh a little at his awkward shuffle. Youngjae turns away from the embarrassment and hurries toward the starting blocks.

“No running!” he hears, and he laughs and slows down. 

 

He swims for 45 minutes, until he can see JB going around catching the few other late swimmers, informing them that they’re closing soon. He gets out of the water before JB has the time to reach him, and scurries towards the showers. 

He skips the sauna this time, and stalls in the changing room until it almost reaches closing hour. He leaves with just a few minutes to spare, and lingers outside the exit doors until JB finally appears. 

“Hey”, JB says, his smile wide again. 

“Hey”, Youngjae parrots. He’s suddenly nervous again, the image of JB from Saturday night vivid in his mind, and the memory of his lips still lingering on his own. JB laughs awkwardly.

“I was scared you had run off again”, he admits, and Youngjae shakes his head vigorously.

“Why?” he asks, and JB shrugs.

“Just paranoid, I guess”, he explains, and Youngjae grins.

“Do boys normally run away from you? Should I be scared?” he jokes, and JB laughs and swats lightly at his chest. Youngjae flinches but stays put, laughing.

“You laugh too much”, JB says, and Youngjae’s laugh settle into a chuckle, his eyebrows raised. 

“You smile too much”, Youngjae retorts, and JB’s smile drop for a moment before he grins again and hangs his head slightly.

“That’s your fault”, he says, and Youngjae chuckles again. He quite likes the idea of being the cause of JB’s smiles. 

“So, uh, what are you gonna do now?” JB then asks, and Youngjae is pulled out of his thoughts. He shrugs and bites the inside of his cheek, unwilling to just go home when JB is right there.

“Do you wanna go somewhere?” JB asks, and Youngjae frowns. He doesn’t really. His hair is wet, and he smells of chlorine. Plus, he’s got his wet swimming trunks and towel in the bag on his back. 

“Not really”, he replies hesitantly. JB nods and looks down at the ground, silent. Youngjae bites his lip and takes a chance.

“Wanna come back to mine for a cup of tea?” he dares, and JB’s looks back up at him, surprised and then slightly entertained. Youngjae feels a flush building on his cheeks again, but he ignores it.

“I only live a few blocks that way”, he continues and point. He can feel JB’s eyes on him, but he meets them determinedly. He knows what he’s suggesting might sound like, but he wants to spend time with JB. If it’s actually just for a cup of tea or something else, Youngjae doesn’t want to miss this chance. He can’t allow it to slip away. JB eventually nods and then smiles.

“Okay”, he replies, and Youngjae’s blush intensifies. JB raises his hand and asks Youngjae to lead the way, and the tension is somewhat broken. Youngjae laughs, JB asks him about his day, and falls into step next to him. They walk in comfortable conversation until they reach Youngjae’s apartment complex, and Youngjae’s prays inwardly that his place isn’t a total mess when he unlocks his door and invite JB in. 

 

Thankfully, it’s not too bad. JB looks around curiously as Youngjae turns on his kettle, and excuses himself to hang up his wet things in the bathroom. He comes back to find JB peeking at his small bookshelf, mostly filled with comics and course books. 

“You into songwriting too?” JB asks as Youngjae fills two cups with the hot water.

“Oh? Yeah”, he replies, and then reaches for his teas. “Green, peach or chamomile?”

JB chuckles at the choice and approaches.

“Chamomile, please.”

Youngjae hands JB his mug and looks awkwardly towards his living space. There are three choices for them to sit down, but one is his bed and the second is by his dining table, which is currently covered in the books and papers he’d left spread there last night. So he heads towards the sofa, and motions for JB to join him when he seems to linger. The sofa is small, more of a two person seat than anything else, and Youngjae settles cross legged towards JB, who mirrors his position. It’s silent for a few seconds, until Youngjae laughs and JB smiles.

“So, songwriting?” JB asks, and takes a careful sip of his tea. 

“Ah, yeah, but I’m not very good. Just. I try. I guess”, he stumbles, feeling a little awkward about the topic. He’s never been very good at talking about his songs, they feel too personal, and he’s scared they aren’t actually any good.

“That’s cool. Do you play any instruments too?” 

JB’s voice is kind and soft, and Youngjae ends up telling him about how he plays a little bit of piano, that he loves to sing more than anything, that he dreams of one day being able to release and play his own songs, and JB asks good questions, questions that aren’t too prying but still interested and curious about Youngjae’s work. JB tells him about his own songs, how he likes to sing too but also how there’s so many way more talented singers at their uni, how he enjoys producing and creating songs that people enjoy listening to. 

 

At some point they’ve relaxed a little on the sofa, JB has his arm flung over the backrest, and Youngjae gets up to refill his cup. When he settles back down, he digs his toes underneath JB’s calf, and JB rests his other hand on Youngjae’s knee. Youngjae feels like the skin underneath JB’s fingers is on fire, but he pretends to be cool. JB looks soft again, in black sweatpants this time and a loose, white t-shirt. He’d taken off his hoodie earlier, blaming the hot tea. Youngjae hadn’t complained. 

“So, lifeguard?” Youngjae eventually asks, changing the topic. JB shrugs.

“Yeah. I’ve worked as one for a long time. Used to work at a pool closer to where I live, but the boss there was a dick, so when I saw the opening here I decided to leave.”

Youngjae nods and sips at his new tea before placing it down on the side table to cool.

“I like it way better here”, JB adds, and Youngjae smiles. 

“I quite miss the old lifeguard though. He was nice to me”, Youngjae states, holding his laughter in, expecting a good reaction.

“Yah! Am I not nice to you!” JB exclaims, but he laughs and runs his hand against his face instead of raising it at Youngjae. 

“It’s not like he quit because I was starting! I started because he left!”, JB continues, and Youngjae just snickers at him. JB chuckles and shakes his head. He then sighs and tilts his head, his eyes squinting a little.

“Was he really?” he asks, and Youngjae laughs. 

“Not more than all the lifeguards. They all love me”, he replies, blinking adorably and smiling widely. JB sighs and tsch’s. 

“That’s true. I heard about you before I even saw you”, he chuckles, and Youngjae stills in surprise.

“Really?” 

JB smiles, the smile that pulls one side of his mouth more than the other (Youngjae thinks it’s a stupid and beautiful smile at the same time), and nods.

“I know at least two other staff members that’d be dead jealous if they knew I was in your apartment right now”, he grins, and Youngjae feels himself blushing again. He doesn’t believe him, but it’s somehow flattering anyway. He laughs nervously.

“You’re cute”, JB suddenly states, and Youngjae stares up at him, crucially aware of what had happened the last time JB had said the same thing. 

JB doesn’t say anything else. He looks at Youngjae, and Youngjae looks back. It feels like a timer or countdown of sorts, as if JB is testing how long Youngjae will keep his gaze, and Youngjae doesn’t dare look away even when his cheeks burn. Youngjae wouldn’t have been able to tell if 3 or 30 seconds have passed when JB finally moves. He leans forward on his knees until he’s face to face with Youngjae again. Youngjae smiles and tilts his head up a little, and JB grins too.

“Stop smiling, or I can’t kiss you”, he says, and Youngjae laughs a little.

“Okay”, he smiles, but makes sure to meet JB’s lips with his own when he closes the last bit of space between them. 

JB kisses him crucially slowly. Youngjae opens his mouth and lets him in when JB nibbles at his lips, and the way JB’s tongue move against his own ignites a small, dull fire in the bottom of Youngjae’s belly, but JB seems frustratingly content with just that, keeping one hand on the sofa and the other still on Youngjae’s knee. Youngjae’s hands are on JB’s neck, and Youngjae tries to be patient until he can’t anymore. 

He whines against JB’s mouth and with one hand he pulls at JB’s collar as the other pulls at the wrist above his knee. JB breaks the kiss, exhales audibly, and allows Youngjae to pull him down on top of him, settling both hands on Youngjae’s waist and pulling him down into a more horizontal position. Youngjae spreads his legs to allow space for JB’s body, and he sighs happily against JB’s mouth when he kisses him again. He’s leaning on top of Youngjae now, and Youngjae allows his hands to travel down JB’s arms and sides, fully getting a feel of JB’s physique for the first time. 

JB feels real good, Youngjae decides. He can feel the warmth from JB’s hands even through his shirt, his fingers holding him firm and steady, as if JB is grounding him, holding him in place exactly where he needs to be on the earth at this moment. Some of his weight is pressing down on Youngjae, but he’s not being too heavy or grinding. Despite what they’re doing, JB’s lack of initiative and escalation fans the fire in Youngjae’s belly more than he would’ve thought. Youngjae doesn’t want this to just become a physical thing, a one night stand to walk away from the morning after and never think about again.

“So pretty”, JB mumbles when he retreats from Youngjae’s mouth, only to instantly bury his face against his neck, kissing, biting and licking lightly. He nibbles at Youngjae’s earnib, and Youngjae can’t help but let out an embarrassingly loud breath. He tightens his grip in JB’s hair, and tilts his head to allow JB better access to his neck. 

“Jaebum-hyung”, Youngjae breathes, and JB’s groans silently but aggressively against his neck, his grip suddenly straining harder as he exhales. 

“You’re killing me, Youngjae-ah. Have been killing me, ever since I first saw you. The things..”, JB says, his voice lower than normal, his tone tight. Youngjae aches, and tugs lightly at JB’s hair until he seems to get the hint and lift his head enough so that Youngjae can turn around and kiss him again. He tries to pour his thoughts into the kiss, to tell JB “yes, please, sorry, thank you” without having to actually utter the words, and after a while JB seems to understand. 

The kiss turns heated, more intense, and JB finally presses down more heavily on top of Youngjae in favour of letting his hands roam. They find their way under the hem of Youngjae’s shirt, hot on Youngjae’s skin, slowly ghosting their way higher up his ribcage. Youngjae breaks the kiss to tear his shirt off, and when he leans back down, JB kisses down his chest, placing hot licks on the skin after his kisses. 

He nibbles at the skin around Youngjae’s left nipple, teasing and grinning when Youngjae’s whines. He gently blows some air and Youngjae’s nipple harden in an instant when JB’s places his tongue, hot and wide on top of it soon after. He gives the other nipple the same treatment and continues to place multiple kisses around Youngjae’s chest. 

Youngjae struggles to exhale, his lungs feels too tight, and JB moves back up to place his mouth on Youngjae’s again. JB seems to move the placement of his thighs in the movement, and there’s suddenly pressure against Youngjae’s crotch, harsch and sudden and too good. 

“Wait”, Youngjae suddenly yelps, and JB stops immediately. He stares at Youngjae, both fear and desire visible in his eyes. Youngjae smiles at him, places his hands on JB’s cheeks and makes sure to maintain eye contact. He doesn’t want to scare him away.

“Hyung”, he says, and gives JB another kiss. JB responds, but he stays still on top of Youngjae, as if he’s waiting patiently. It warms Youngjae’s heart, and he can’t help but place a second, lingering kiss after attempting to pull back a first time. 

“I’m really enjoying this, but..”, he trifts off, unsure what words to use. JB frowns a little, tilting his head, let’s the confusion show for a small second before he seems to collect himself and find a neutral expression. Waiting.

“I like you, hyung”, Youngjae continues, his face warm and blushing from the weight behind his words. He knows that his feelings are a bit ridiculous at this point, and maybe he is taking this too seriously, but he thinks that if JB likes Youngjae’s even just half as much, perhaps he’ll understand.

“I’d like to get to know you a little better before we, you know.. It’s always nicer that way.”

JB finally smiles at him, then. His teeth are too white and his eyes fold until they’re shaped like little crescent moons, and Youngjae can’t help but smile back. JB leans in to kiss him again, but it’s a short, sweet kiss this time around.

“Of course”, he replies, and pulls back up. He clears his throat and gets his hands off Youngjae. Youngjae sits up too, but less gracefully. His face is still too hot and he kind of wants to adjust himself, a bit conscious of his bare chest, but JB looks painfully content, glancing at the clock on Youngjae’s wall. 

“It’s kinda late, I should probably head back.”

“How will you get home?” Youngjae asks, and JB fishes his phone out of a pocket. 

“Mark’ll come pick me up”, JB replies easily as he types, and Youngjae nods slowly, then frowns. 

“Was he supposed to pick you up earlier?” 

At his question, Youngjae thinks he might detect a faint blush on JB’s face, his hand scratching his neck. He avoids Youngjae’s gaze.

“No, well, he offered to pick me up, uh, but after I told him you were gonna be swimming he refused to come by closing time”, he explains, and Youngjae stares at him for a second before he breaks out in laughter. JB frowns at him, but a small smile is tugging at his lips.Youngjae stills as quickly as he started, and sighs.

“I like Mark”, he states, and JB chuckles.

“I’m glad”, JB smiles, and Youngjae smiles back. JB’s hand is on his knee again, and there’s a soft squeeze.

“So, wanna do something this week?” he asks, and Youngjae grins.

“What, like a date?” he jokes, but JB just nods in all seriousness.

“Uh, yeah. Okay. Sure. Yes”, Youngjae fumbles, and JB’s smile is wide and blinding again. 

“Cute”, JB mumbles, and leans in and kisses him again. 

 

JB’s phone vibrates five minutes later, and JB pulls back. His hand is on Youngjae’s neck and Youngjae’s not entirely in control of his own breath again, too affected just by kissing. He doesn’t want JB to leave, but he knows he should before Youngjae’s self constraint disappears. 

JB gives him a short kiss before rising from the sofa, and Youngjae follows him to the front door, hiding his naked chest behind the door when JB finally steps outside and gives him one, last peck. Youngjae closes the door when JB descends down the stairs and out of his view.


	4. Chapter 4

JB sends him a text the following day, and asks if Youngjae would like to accompany him to a small gig on Friday evening, and Youngjae happily accepts. 

He tries on four different outfits before he gives up and chooses comfort over looking overly smart. He doesn’t want to be overdressed, and when JB comments on how good he looks in the slightly oversized sweater, Youngjae decides he made the right choice. The gig is even smaller than Youngjae had expected, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. JB says hello to a lot of the people there, and then explains that the members of the band playing are his coursemates. 

They sit at a high table by a window, and JB brings drinks over. They chat, and they listen to the music, and Youngjae laughs and JB smiles. Youngjae’s phone starts going off a couple of times the later it gets, and JB chuckles when Youngjae ignores a phone call for the third time. 

“Your friends?” he asks, and Youngjae grimaces.

“Yeah, they know we’re here, but they want us to come join them after”, he explains. JB nods. 

“We could, if you wanna? Mark and Jackson are out and about as well, I could invite them too”, he offers, and that’s how the seven of them end up on another dance floor a few hours later. 

 

Youngjae drinks more than he intends to, and at the end of the night, JB and Jinyoung shares the difficult task of bringing them all home safe. It takes a while, because Jackson refuses to separate with his newfound dongsaengs and Mark refuses to separate from Jackson, so an impromptu sleeping party happens in BamBam and Yugyeom’s living room. Jackson cuddles up with the two youngest on the floor once Jinyoung and JB manages to cover it with some spare mattresses and pillows, and then Jinyoung manages to escort a half-sleeping Mark to BamBam and Yugyeom’s bedroom. Jinyoung never returns, so JB suspects he’s fallen victim to Mark’s drunken cuddliness. 

Youngjae is giggling by himself on the sofa, sneaking pictures of the sleeping kids on the floor. JB sighs heavily as he sits down next to him, and Youngjae is suddenly crucially aware of how drunk he is, and how sober JB seems to be. 

“Where are you gonna sleep?” he asks, and JB glances at him and then motions towards the chair in the corner of the room. 

“There, I suppose”, he replies, and Youngjae frowns hard at the chair. 

He shakes his head and sits up a little, lifting up the blanket to invite JB into his spot on the couch. JB’s eyebrows raise in surprise, but then he smiles and squeezes in next to Youngjae. Before he settles, Youngjae jumps off the couch to turn the light off, and when he comes back down, JB has spread out so that Youngjae has no choice but to lie back down snuggled up towards JB, his head on his shoulder. 

“Thank you”, JB mumbles just as Youngjae begins to drift off.

“Hm?” he hums, and opens one eye to look up at JB. JB is smiling, but his eyes are closed and his breath is soft against Youngjae’s forehead. 

“Thank you”, JB repeats. “For tonight”, and places a kiss on Youngjae’s cheek. Youngjae leans up to kiss him back, and JB deepens the kiss quickly, but their pace is slow and sleepy. JB’s tongue is hot and Youngjae thinks he might genuinely explode from the inside out if he wasn’t so physically exhausted.

“Gross. Stop it”, Jackson whines from the floor, his voice muffled by his position. Youngjae snickers and breaks their kiss.

“Shut up Jackson”, JB says, but places one last kiss on Youngjae’s cheek before he closes his eyes and visibly relaxes. Youngjae smiles and cuddles into JB’s neck before he allows the sleepiness tugging at his limbs to overcome him, too. 

 

Youngjae wakes up to loud voices. The sun is too bright in the room, and he immediately groans when he feels queasiness stir in his abdomen, and he kind of needs to pee. JB, however, is still sleeping heavily beneath him, his limbs spread as much as possible on the couch. Youngjae gets off him slowly, and while JB stirs as he does, he doesn’t seem to wake up and Youngjae sighs in relief. 

He hurries to the bathroom, pees, washes his hands and then rinses his mouth with mouthwash in an attempt to remove the worst of his hungover morning breath. He then pads quietly back through the living room to reach the kitchen, where he finds all the others. Jinyoung is getting items out of the fridge, Mark is putting a pan onto the hob and Jackson, BamBam and Yugyeom are circling around him. On the counter is a bowl of light yellow batter.

“Good morning, Youngjae-ah!” Jackson exclaims when he notices Youngjae’s entrance.

“Mark-hyung is making pancakes!”, BamBam explains, and his eyes are sparkling with excitement. Youngjae meets Mark’s searching gaze when he looks in his directions.

“Is JB still asleep?” he asks, and Youngjae nods. Mark nods back and pours some batter into the pan. 

“Should I go get him?” Youngjae asks, a little unsure of Mark’s response, but Mark shakes his head.

“Let him sleep in”, he says, and Jackson grins up at Youngjae.

“He’s been taking on too many shifts at work because he wants to see you all the goddamn time”, Jackson explains, wiggling his eyebrows excessively, earning laughs from both the youngest and Jinyoung. Youngjae blushes fiercely, and Jackson laughs back at him.

Mark cooks the pancakes like he’s done it a hundred times before, handing them off to grabby hands as soon as they’re done. Youngjae eats his with white sugar, and Jinyoung makes sure Mark eats a pancake himself before allowing the rest of them a third helping. 

Once the leftover pancakes are wrapped up in foil and set aside for JB to have later, the six of them retreat into the bedroom. Youngjae plays videogames with Yugyeom and Jackson, Mark lies back down in the bed and observes them, Jinyoung sits down next to him but focuses on his phone rather than the others, and BamBam is the first to claim the shower. When he exits, they circulate positions and turns in the shower until they’re all feeling a little less worse than when they woke up. 

It takes two hours until JB finally emerges from the living room and finds them in the bedroom. Jinyoung offers him the shower and Mark tells him to have a pancake, and they all laugh when JB sleepily trots into the shower with a half eaten pancake in mouth. 

Youngjae is leaning against the side of the bed when JB emerges from the bathroom. Their eyes lock, and JB smiles at him. Youngjae makes grabby hands, and JB sits down on the floor next to him. His hair is dripping slightly onto Youngjae’s shoulder, but he doesn’t really care.

“How are you feeling?” JB asks, and Youngjae can’t help but blush when he sees Jinyoung shoot a glance at them and then grin. Having this kind of moment with JB right in front of his friends is weird, but somehow really nice at the same time. He understands that Mark and Jackson are part of the JB package deal, just as Jinyoung, BamBam and Yugyeom are part of his. The fact that their two groups got along so well instantly, merging comfortably and seamlessly is a blessing Youngjae knows he shouldn’t take for granted. 

He’s had dates in the past that didn’t mix well with his friends, and he knows a person like that never sticks around for too long. But Youngjae desperately wants JB to stick around, and maybe a small, greedy part of him recognizes how much harder it’d be for JB to ghost him if his friends are ensnared too.

Youngjae grimaces at his own train of thought but is brought back to reality when he notices JB’s raised eyebrows.

“Uh, I’m fine, I’m totally fine, a little hungover but not to bad”, he explains, laughing between words at what he must’ve looked like to JB. JB just looks at him, and then turns around to the others.

“Is he always like this?” he asks the room, and receives nods and yups from Youngjae’s friends. 

“Get used to it bro”, Jinyoung adds without even looking up from his phone. JB huffs but smiles at Youngjae.

They stay all day. JB gingerly attempts to suggest at one point that maybe they’ve overstayed their welcome and should leave, but the maknaes fiercely deny it. Jackson is quick to take their side, and Mark simply shrugs noncommittally when JB looks at him for support and the case is settled. 

Jinyoung cooks dinner for them once evening arrives and Yugyeom starts to whine that he’s getting hungry, and once they’re all full again they huddle up in the living room and watch movies. BamBam and Yugyeom stretch out on the mattresses that are still covering the floor, Mark claims the chair and Youngjae is sitting on a pillow on the floor, leaning against JB on the sofa. Jackson has cuddled up against Jinyoung, who had been taken by surprise and fought it at first, but eventually lost against Jackson’s persistence. 

They don’t stay the night, though. After two movies and several conversation topics later, Mark states that they should head home. JB agrees and Jackson makes sad faces but seems to know not to fight them, and 45 minutes later they actually leave. JB hugs Youngjae goodbye but doesn’t kiss him, but Jackson makes a show of giving everyone a goodbye kiss on the cheek and is harshly tugged back by JB as he plants one on Youngjae. Jackson laughs and Youngjae laughs, and JB smiles. 

“I love Jackson”, Yugyeom coos when the door close behind them, earning a warning hit on both shoulders from BamBam and Jinyoung simultaneously. Yugyeom lifts his hands in defense and back up against the wall when Jinyoung’s hand remains raised, and Youngjae laughs again. BamBam grins wickedly at Yugyeom and crosses his arms.

“Not like that, honestly! Come on!” Yugyeom tries, but BamBam shrugs and lifts his gaze, putting his hand against his chin as if he’s imagining something wicked. 

“I don’t know, could be interesting”, he says, and Jinyoung’s hand hits BamBam’s shoulder instead. BamBam steps back and laughs, first at Jinyoung and then at Yugyeom’s shocked expression. 

“Hey, keep that stuff to yourself”, Jinyoung scolds, but BamBam only wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at Jinyoung, who grimaces and leans away. Youngjae is literally grasping at the wall from laughing, but his friends don’t pay him any attention.

“Why? As if you’re not curious, hyung”, BamBam teases, and Jinyoung raises another warning hand at him, to which BamBam laughs but gives in. He backs away out of the hallway and Jinyoung shifts his attention to Yugyeom again, a warning look on his face. 

“Don’t do anything too weird”, he says, and Yugyeom grins and leans closer. Youngjae knows he’s about to tread in risky water.

“Don’t worry, hyung. I promise I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do”, Yugyeom says, and then immediately runs away. Youngjae is laughing loudly and Jinyoung swears.

 

The seven of them start spending a lot of time together. Youngjae meets up with Jinyoung for lunch on monday to find JB and Mark there already. On tuesday Youngjae finds Jackson with BamBam in the library, sitting too close to each other, whispering and snickering and having trouble keeping their noise level down. 

On wednesday Youngjae is added to a new group chat by Jackson, and his notifications go off non stop for the remainder of the day. On wednesday night, JB asks Youngjae if he can call him his boyfriend and Youngjae kisses him in response. On thursday, Jinyoung spreads the news to the others and Youngjae learns that JB and Jinyoung text each other almost as often as JB and Youngjae does. 

On friday afternoon Youngjae heads over to Jinyoung’s place to find Mark there, both of them leisurely reading on their own, not even talking but clearly comfortable in each other’s company. 

The weeks continue in a similar pattern, and their two friend groups merge into one. JB stays over at Youngjae’s after his shifts at work, and Jackson flees JB’s hand when he asks too loudly if the two of them has “done it yet”. Youngjae blushes, because they haven’t. Youngjae is beginning to regret stopping them the first time, because JB seems to have taken it a bit too much to heart and Youngjae is getting… frustrated. 

He’s tried to initiate it a couple of times when JB has slept over, kissed him deeply while they’re lying in bed, pulling JB down on top of him and gripping tightly at JB’s tee, but JB always pulls back and buries his face in Youngjae’s neck as soon as the mood is on the verge of turning into something more heated. He sighs deeply against Youngjae’s skin and cuddles closer, but it’s clear that he’s getting comfortable to sleep rather than anything else. Youngjae has to count to 50 to calm his racing heart.

Youngjae thinks he might’ve succeeded when he stays over at JB’s for the first time, and JB kneels down on the floor between Youngjae’s knees. Youngjae is melted into the sofa, cheeks deep read and his breath unsteady from JB’s kisses, and he’s staring in disbelief as JB begins to kiss down his chest, inching painfully closer to Youngjae’s jeans. JB’s hand are caressing his thighs, and he mumbles praise in between his kisses and Youngjae does his absolute very best not to push up into JB when Mark suddenly unlocks the front door and walks in on them. Youngjae shrieks and JB stares up at him in horror, but Mark simply looks at them and then proceeds into the kitchen.

“Not in our shared space, please guys”, he simply says and Youngjae is so embarrassed he thinks he might die.

“Sorry”, JB calls after him, and helps Youngjae put his shirt back on.


	5. Chapter 5

Another two weeks pass. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Jinyoung finally asks. Youngjae is sitting next to him, face planted against the table. He’s long given up on studying, the memory of JB’s kisses too vivid in his mind. Youngjae frowns and hits his head against the table a few times until Jinyoung sneaks a hand in between his forehead and the wood.

“Stop that. Just tell me what’s wrong”, Jinyoung insists, although his gaze is still locked on his book. Youngjae growns and rests his face onto Jinyoung’s hand. He’s silent for a few seconds before he bursts.

“It’s JB”, he whines, and Jinyoung glances briefly at him.

“What about JB?” he persists, and Youngjae glares up at his friend. He doesn’t feel like spelling it out to him right there in the library. Jinyoung seems to be getting the hint after a few minutes. 

“Is he still not sleeping with you?” he asks, and Youngjae immediately sits up and hushes at him, but then he deflates and nods. 

“What am I supposed to do?” he whispers, and Jinyoung sighs.

“Just go for it, Youngjae”, he says. “Just initiate it yourself.”

“I’ve tried!” Youngjae stage whispers back, exasperated. Jinyoung shrugs.

“Then up your game, kid. Try harder.”

 

So Youngjae does. The next day he chooses his clothes more carefully, and styles his hair as well as he can on his own. He sees JB’s gaze linger curiously at him a little more than usual during lunch, but nothing else really happens. 

The following day he asks BamBam to help, and BamBam delivers. He dresses Youngjae in skintight, black trousers and a loose, white top that’s extremely oversized and leaves Youngjae’s collarbones bare. He styles Youngjae’s hair rough and messy, and puts a hint of eyeshadow in the corner of his eyes. Youngjae gapes as himself when he looks into the mirror, and Yugyeom whistles. BamBam is extremely pleased with himself.

Youngjae is somewhat self conscious throughout his classes that day, but it pays off when he sees JB again during lunch and the man visibly chokes in shock when he sees Youngjae. None of their friends say anything about it though and JB sits mostly in silence for the rest of the meal, his cheeks dark and gaze constantly drifting back to Youngjae. Youngjae pretends not to notice, laughs along with his friend’s conversations and smiles at JB.

The two of them meet up at the library after classes are over for the day. The other five were supposed to be there as well, but none show up. Youngjae spends a long time looking for books, wandering deeper the library and JB trails behind. They keep light conversation, but it drops off into silences more than once, and Youngjae can feel the tension ripple in the air between them. 

He keeps his back to JB, sometimes rising on his tiptoes pretending to read book titles, and he smiles to himself when he finally hears JB swear silently and drop his backpack onto the floor, his steps quick towards Youngjae until he presses up against his back. 

Maybe, maybe, Youngjae arches shamelessly a little into JB’s grip. JB’s face is leaning against his shoulder, his fingers hard against Youngjae’s hips, and Youngjae can’t help a surprised gasp when he feels JB roll his crotch against Youngjae’s ass. 

“Youngjae-ah”, JB whimpers, and Youngjae loves it. 

“Jaebum-hyung”, he breathes when JB rolls his hips again. He can feel JB getting hard, and he realises that BamBam’s help maybe worked a little too well. Youngjae hadn’t intended it to happen right there, in the library.

But JB seems to read his mind, because he steps back and takes Youngjae’s hand, swiftly picking up his backpack again and then leading them all the way out of the library as fast as he can without attracting too much attention. He doesn’t even look back as he leads them off campus in the direction of his and Mark’s apartment. Youngjae is scared to break the spell and allows JB to lead the way. 

Conveniently, JB lives close to campus and they arrive at the apartment within five minutes. JB unlocks the door in silence and Youngjae holds his breath as he steps in behind him, closing the door carefully as JB puts his bag away and then finally, finally looks at Youngjae. 

They stare at each other for a few, tense seconds. Youngjae’s can feel his own heartbeat in his throat, and JB’s gaze is so intense that he doesn’t think he could’ve looked away even if he tried. Youngjae slowly takes his own bag off and leaves it on the floor next to him, and JB suddenly moves. He pushes Youngjae up against the door, kisses him deep and touches him hard. Youngjae exhales deeply when JB’s mouth drop from his mouth to his neck, and he leans his head back onto the door.

“Is Mark-hyu..” he begins, but JB interrupts him.

“Mark’s not home”, he says, and Youngjae nods. His hands are in JB’s hair, encouraging and eager. He groans deeply when JB suddenly presses a palm against Youngjae’s dick, and he breathes against Youngjae’s ear.

“Waited so long to do this”, JB whispers, his voice already low and deeper than normal. 

Youngjae’s eyes roll back a little.

“You have? I have, fuck”, he attempts to argue, but JB rolls his palm and licks against his neck. Youngjae melts against JB, and is only left standing thanks to the dual support of the door and JB on both sides of him. He steadies his feet when he realises JB is moving further south again, and does a decent job keeping himself upright when JB drops to his knees and hurriedly undoes Youngjae’s trousers. 

“Are you for real”, Youngjae asks, gaping down at JB, who grins up at him and pulls Youngjae out of his underwear. Youngjae gasps as JB grips him firmly at the base, and then gapes large, widening his tongue against the underside of Youngjae’s dick. 

“Fucking hell”, Youngjae continues, unintentionally breaking eye contact when he feels the moist heat of JB’s mouth close around him. JB sucks him off quickly and expertly, hollowing his cheeks and flattening his tongue, his hand working in tandem with his mouth. Youngjae is reduced to a mewling mess quickly, grasping at JB’s hair and moaning loudly.

“JB”, he tries when he realises he’s on the verge of coming. “Hyung, I’m gonna -”

But JB hums in reply and continues, closes his eyes as if he enjoys it too. 

Youngjae can’t help but let out an embarrassingly loud moan as he comes. JB, the lunatic, his absolutely too good for this world, amazing lunatic boyfriend, doesn’t even move back, simply swallows all of Youngjae down until he comes back down from his orgasm, swears spilling out of his mouth. Only then does he allow Youngjae’s dick to fall lazily out of his mouth and Youngjae winces at how cold the air feels in contrast. He’s breathing heavily, leaning fully against the door, eyes still closed when he feels JB raise to his feet again and plant his face against Youngjae’s neck, breathing him in. 

Youngjae smiles and leans in to kiss him, meeting JB’s tongue and exploring the unfamiliar flavour of himself. Youngjae’s limbs feel a little heavy, but he’s also crucially aware of JB’s situation and he desperately contemplates how to help out. 

He allows himself a small amount of time to recover, until he feels steady again and forces JB back by his shoulders. JB’s eyes are heavy and dark, his breathing is irregular and his lips are read and swollen and Youngjae can’t believe what he’s seeing. His chest tightens, and his breath catches.

“Bedroom, now”, he orders, and JB simply nods and follows his lead.

 

Youngjae wakes up a few hours later. He squints up at JB, who’s still looks to be asleep. He smiles and rubs his face against JB’s naked chest and JB’s hand tighten its grip on his shoulder. They’re both stark naked, the cover is only covering their bottom halves, and JB’s other three limbs are spread wide in an obvious attempt to relieve heat. 

Youngjae realises what woke him up when his phone goes off several times from somewhere in the room. JB groans in displeasure as it continues, and shakes Youngjae’s shoulder lightly. Youngjae sighs and rises from the bed, reaching his jeans on the floor and fishing out his phone from the pocket. There’s more notifications than he can count, most from the group chat, a few from Jackson and at least one from Jinyoung. He returns to bed and settles next to JB again, silencing his phone as another message comes through. 

Wang sent: _Two hours of silence??? What are they doing, a sex marathon??_

Youngjae snickers as he reads back the missed conversation, but new messages appear as he does.

BB sent: _They’re alive!!! I see you Youngjae_

Wang sent: _YOUNGJAE R U OK WAS IT SATISFACTORY_

Jinyoung sent: _Jeez Jackson_

Yugyah sent: _Hyung ;) ;) ;) u alive_

Wang sent: _TELL US ALL THE DEETS_

Jinyoung sent: _Please don’t_

Wang sent: _TELL ME ALL THE DEETS_

Mark sent: _Chill Jackson_

Wang sent: _YOUNGJAE_

Wang sent: _YOUNGJAE?_

Wang sent: _YOOOUUUNNNGGGGJJJJAAAAEEEEE_

Wang sent: _Wait_

Wang sent: _Youngjae_

Wang sent: _You kinky fucker_

Wang sent: _Are you STILL doing it??_

Wang sent: _;))))))))))))))))_

 

The chat goes silent for a while. JB has turned around, woken up and curious as to why Youngjae is laughing by himself, grinning into Youngjae’s cheek.

“Hand me my phone, please”, and Youngjae reaches for JB’s phone, neatly placed on the bedside table. It doesn’t have any notifications, so Youngjae assumes JB must’ve muted the group chat at some point. JB places tiny kisses under Youngjae’s jawline as he types something on his phone.

JB sent: _Shut up Jackson._

He grabs Youngjae’s phone before he can read any replies and covers Youngjae’s body with his own, leaning down on top of him and kisses him slowly. Youngjae kisses him back and locks his arms around JB’s waist.


	6. Bonus Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more jackson/everyone than anything else because I'm weak for ot7 too.

A year passes. 

The seven of them have made it back to BamBam and Yugyeom’s apartment after a heavy night of drinking at a massive house party, and they’re all adequately wasted. They’re in the living room, Youngjae in JB’s lap on the sofa, sleepily snuggling into his neck but not yet ready to say goodnight. Yugyeom and Jackson are dancing in the middle of the room, and Mark is giggling with Jinyoung in the corner, handling the music through someone’s phone. Neither of them seem ready to call it a day just yet, enjoying the company of just each other as much as any house party or club would. BamBam suddenly emerges through the door with an empty whiskey bottle in a raised hand.

“Let’s play truth or dare!” he declares, and Yugyeom and Jackson yell in agreement, jumping excitedly at the suggestion. 

It takes them a few minutes to collect on the floor, fresh drinks in hand. They do rock paper scissors to determine who gets to start, and Jackson shrieks in ecstacy when he wins. He spins the bottle, and it settles on Yugyeom. He picks dare.

“Since it’s the first round, I’ll be nice. I dare you to kiss BamBam”, he grins, even though it earns a disappointing huff from Youngjae, who’s eager to see something more wicked.

“Aw, that’s not exciting”, he whines, but he gapes in surprise when Yugyeom leans over to BamBam and instantly shoves his tongue into BamBam’s mouth, easily dominating. 

BamBam follows, allowing Yugyeom to tilt his head for better access. Mark, JB and Jackson are whistling loudly at them, and Youngjae briefly meets Jinyoung’s eye, his gaze as surprised as his own.

Yugyeom pulls back with a grin, winking at BamBam as he retreats to his spot. BamBam grins back, but his cheeks are flushed, clearly more affected than Youngjae had expected.

The game continues. Yugyeom asks if Jinyoung has ever kissed a boy (“yes”), Jinyoung dares BamBam to kiss Mark’s feet (he does, and it’s a whole thing), BamBam asks Jaebum if he ever bottoms (“I do”), Jaebum asks BamBam if he ever tops (“I do too!”), and BamBam dares Jackson to give them all a kiss on the mouth. 

Jackson gets on his knees, rubs his palms and wiggles his eyebrows naughtily.

“Tongue or no tongue?” he asks, but BamBam just grins and shrugs. Jackson nods determinedly and turns to Mark on his left, who’s smiling softly up at him.

“Hyung”, Jackson says and he begins to lean down.

“Jackson”, Mark replies, and then Jackson’s lips are on his. For a second it seems like that’s all it’ll be, until Jackson moves, Mark’s mouth opens and Jackson’s tongue visibly delves in. Youngjae gasps at how familiar they seem with it, fitting together nicely and easily, but then Jackson pulls back and smiles sweetly at Mark.

“Thanks”, he says and Mark simply nods and Jackson moves on his knees over to JB. He winks at Youngjae, who can’t help but move in his spot so that he’ll be able to see them better.

Jackson kisses JB the same as he did Mark, and Youngjae chokes slightly on his own saliva. He didn’t know it’d look so amazingly hot to see his own boyfriend making out with one of their best friends, but it’s better than anything he could’ve dreamed of. 

He can’t tell if Jackson, Mark and JB must’ve done a lot of kissing with each other before they got to know the rest of them or if Jackson is simply an amazing kisser, but then Jackson breaks the kiss and looks over to Youngjae. 

“Your boyfriend is a good kisser, Youngjae-ah”, Jackson says as he moves over, and Youngjae’s face is really warm.

“I know”, he mumbles, staring up at Jackson, who leans down and presses his lips against his. 

His lips are firm, and his hands are steady on both sides of Youngjae’s face, and Youngjae panics for a small moment when he realises that this might be all he’s getting, but then Jackson shifts and Youngjae’s mouth just opens, and Jackson’s tongue meets his own, and it’s hot and soft and really fucking good. 

“Yah”, JB’s voice has a small laugh in it but Jackson pulls back all the same. Youngjae blinks rapidly to bring himself back to reality. Jackson is snickering in front of him and JB’s hand is on his shoulder, but he’s grinning and his eyes are dark when they meet Youngjae’s. 

“Damn, JB, your boyfriend is a good kisser”, Jackson laughs, hand on his chest, but he’s already moving over to Jinyoung. Jinyoung attempts to deadface him for a second, but as soon as Jackson begins to lean in he breaks out in a laugh and leans away.

“Wait, give me a second”, he says and regains his composure. Jackson is smiling widely at him, waiting patiently. 

“None of you better have herpes”, Jinyoung states, but then he leans in a little and Jackson leans in the rest of the way quickly, eagerly placing his lips on Jinyoung’s. 

It takes Jinyoung a moment to kiss back, but when he does, he takes dominance and Jackson quickly gives in, placing his hands on the floor to accommodate the angle Jinyoung is putting him at. Youngjae isn’t really surprised that Jinyoung is dominant, but seeing Jackson fold instantly and so utterly leaves him gaping again. 

Jackson is on all fours, his back arching slightly, Jinyoung bites his bottom lip and Youngjae suddenly realises he might not be too drunk to get hard after all. Jinyoung looks ridiculously happy with himself when he pulls back, Jackson’s gaping face mirroring the other’s. There’s suddenly an abundance of throats clearing and Jackson seems to come to it, shaking himself and getting back up on his knees.

“Nice”, he mumbles, eyes still locked on Jinyoung. “Nice, cool, nice”, he repeats, then he shakes his head and turns to BamBam. BamBam grins up at him, eyebrows wiggling, and Jackson’s smile returns as he waddles up to BamBam, who reaches out to greet him.

“Come here, baby”, BamBam says, and their lips meets easily, tongue’s clashing almost instantly, even and balanced. It’s a good kiss, but still paling a little in comparison to the previous one, and they break it off without any surprises. Jackson places another on BamBam’s cheek for good measure and nods before BamBam pats his butt kindly to usher him on to Yugyeom. 

Yugyeom is gazing up at Jackson with huge eyes. 

“Yugie”, Jackson smiles, scooting close and leaning down of his heels, softly gripping Yugyeom’s cheeks. They stare at each other for a few, long seconds, and the air suddenly shifts again and Youngjae holds his breath for the few moments it takes Jackson to close the space between them and slot his lips against Yugyeom. 

Youngjae can see the stiffness in Yugyeom’s shoulders, until Jackson runs one hand through the short hairs at the back of Yugyeom’s head, and Yugyeom audibly exhales against Jackson’s face. Jackson beckons him back, and Yugyeom opens his mouth.

It’s… different. Jackson is clearly in charge, but he’s real slow and patient and his thumbs caress Yugyeom’s skin softly. It’s sweet, and Youngjae can see BamBam gaze at them starry-eyed. 

Jackson gives Yugyeom three firm closed-mouth kisses before he finally pulls back, and even when he does Yugyeom leans with him as if he doesn’t want him to go just yet. When he opens his eyes, his ears are flaming red and his cheeks dark, and his gaze quickly shoots around the circle as if he’d forgotten the rest of them where even there. Jackson is grinning wickedly, his expression similar to the one Jinyoung had sported earlier, clearly boasting. 

“Uuh, what the fuck”, BamBam states, and Jackson winks at him.

“You’re welcome”, he simply states, making finger guns in BamBam’s direction. Youngjae laughs as he leans against JB’s shoulder and intertwines his fingers with his.

“No, what the fuck Jackson, I, what”, BamBam continues, frowning hard, his head whipping between Jackson and Jinyoung until he yells out in frustration and grips his own head.

“I can’t determine if I should take you and Yug-yah to bed right this fucking second or make Jinyoung kiss you again, cuz what the fuck.”

Jackson grins widely as he settles back in his original spot and picks up the bottle. He winks at BamBam yet again and then looks at Jinyoung, curiosity evident in his eyes. Youngjae leans on JB’s shoulder and wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s waist, and JB turns his head around and smiles at him. Youngjae chuckles in reply and sneaks a hand under the hem of JB’s sweater before his attention is brought back to the spinning bottle, settling on Mark.

The game goes on for a long while.


End file.
